Lunar Lullaby
by RosieStars
Summary: She was supposed to fix her mistake, for Xadia, for her queen. But when it came down to it, she couldn't do it. He was an innocent, just a boy. So she took him with her. Runaan and his team of assassins discovers that Rayla has defied him. Again. But when they find her, not only could she not kill the king, but she had ended up kidnapping his son, Prince Ezran.
1. What Must be Done

Rayla would fix this. She _had_ to.

It was her fault. Her fault the mission had been compromised. Her fault they'd come so close to being captured if not for Runaan's quick thinking. Her fault for letting the human guard live because of her weakness and inability to kill.

Her fault Runaan, who'd put his neck on the line in order to convince the council to allow her to tag on such an important mission, may be punished for that one moment of weakness. Her fault that her whole _Turma_, none of which she knew quite so well but whom she would lay her life down for in a second, may all suffer for her mistake.

Rayla had already suffered the shame her parents inflicted months ago when they abandoned their post, abandoned their duties, abandoned _her_—No, they were dead to her now—and she had to prove that she wasn't like them. She must fix her mistake, show she had it within her to be a true Moonshadow assassin. To avenge Thunder's death and that of his son, the Dragon Prince.

Deaths her parents allowed in their cowardice.

So Rayla had to do this. She had to repair the damage she'd caused, putting them all at risk. Even if the thought of killing…. No, she had to go through with this. Justice would not be denied. For Xadia.

Surprisingly after scaling the wall, it became much easier to sneak through the castle. All she had to do was keep in the shadows and out of the guards line of sight. After all, she already had to...had to...kill King Harrow and his son. No more blood needed to be spattered.

Runaan would be furious when he found her gone, but he'd understand when she returned. Once she had justice. King Harrow's life in exchange for that of the Dragon Queen's mate, Thunder, and Katolis' heir, Prince Ezran, in exchange for the destruction of the Dragon Prince's egg. Just hours ago, she had bound herself to the mission. There was no turning back now. Even if she wanted to.

Which she didn't.

Yet why did the thought bother her so much? It was two lives. Drastically decreasing the number Runaan and their team may take to complete their orders. Because of her mistake.

It would be for justice. For the good of Xadia. And the humans deserved it, didn't they? For murdering their protector and his heir?

But would that make them even, or no less better than the humans?

_My heart for Xadia_, she had promised.

The binding on her wrists was a strict reminder of that oath.

As she wandered the corridors, keeping out of sight of any passing guards or servants, she came to the realization of something she hadn't quite thought through: She had no clue what Prince Ezran looked like. She hadn't thought to ask.

Well...he probably looked like his father...right? But there was also his mother, the late Queen Sarai. How would she—

Oh, family portrait. Good enough.

The older one held the whole family, both king and queen with two children. The one resting on the other side of the hall, however, appeared more recent, so she looked closer for reference.

King Harrow. And standing before him were the two children from the previous painting except older. The eldest was pale with short dark brown hair, a bright red scarf wrapped around his neck and draping over his shoulders. The youngest looked closer to his father, darker-skinned and holding a...large pet frog to his chest. But which one was the Crown Prince?

Obviously the older one. Still, it left a pang in her heart to know she was leaving the little one with his big, blue, innocent eyes brotherless and...orphaned.

It was for Xadia, Rayla reminded herself as she turned away to continue her search. Her heart for Xadia.

Just as she began to leave the hall, she jumped when a loud sneeze echoed through the hallway. "Bless you," she said on impulse.

"Thank you."

Her head snapped around at the small, young-sounding voice that responded. She whipped out her swords, flipping out the blades while she scanned her surroundings. "Who said that?" she demanded, seeing she was alone.

"I did," said the same young voice, and the portrait of the royal family swung open to reveal the small child from the painting. "Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. I was just-" He cut off once he saw her. In fact, he froze entirely, one hand clutching a triangle-shaped treat and tucked under his other arm was his pet from the portrait, a bright yellow with turquoise spots all over its body with a face that appeared permanently angry.

At first, Rayla thought it was because she probably looked frightening. An elf with pointy ears and horns, only four fingers on each hand instead of a human's five. Then she remembered her hood was still up so it was probably more the fact a very sharp blade was being pointed directly at him by a stranger.

Finally, the young prince seemed to break out of his daze and held out the treat in his hand out to her, a nervous grin on his face. "Uh...jelly tart?"

Rayla was taken back by the question, but more so by that the boy's first reaction hadn't been to call out or run away. Instead...he'd offered her food.

How odd.

Hopefully if the human child acted this way around strangers, she could use that. All she had to do was play along. Only two targets were for right. No need for a third.

Of course it didn't feel right. Tricking a child to let her to his brother and father so she could kill then. A pang of guilt made Rayla's hand falter as she lowered her blade. But assassins couldn't afford to feel guilt over their job. Assassins rarely showed emotions in general. They decided life and death, not right and wrong.

"Um, no thank you," Rayla told him, resting her blades at her sides. "Listen, it's very important I...talk to King Harrow and Crown Prince Ezran. Do you happen to know where I might find them?"

The young prince thought a moment. "I don't know where my dad is right now," he admitted, meeting her gaze. "But you can talk to me. I'm Prince Ezran."

Rayla's heart dropped into the pit of her stomach as she stared at him. This was Prince Ezran? She hadn't expected him to be so…young. At the very least, she expected him to be about her age.

But no, Prince Ezran was a child. A child with wide, innocent eyes of blue that were looking at her now in confusion and concern. A child whose first response to a possibly dangerous stranger was to offer them his food. A child who, at the time, posed no threat to Xadia.

"What's wrong?" asked Prince Ezran, seeing the storm of emotions she was sure was stamped on her face. "Are you okay?"

Rayla pulled down her hood and stared down the Crown Prince while his eyes widened. She lifted her sword back up to line at his throat. He was so small and so young it wouldn't even take much effort to slice through. So...defenseless….

Since when did her hand start shaking?

"You're an elf," the boy said in awe, clutching his pet to his chest who gave a distressed croak, as if trying to warn its owner of the danger he may not have realized himself to be in.

An innocent, just a boy. Just a boy.

"Yes." Rayla steadied her hand. He was just a child. The Dragon Prince was just an egg. It would make them even, wouldn't it? But wouldn't also make them just as bad, to slay something so defenceless and innocent who'd done wrong to them?

No, she had to do it. The bindings…

They didn't just affect her, they affected her whole team, Runaan. King Harrow and Prince Ezran had to die. She swore she would finish it.

_Her heart for Xadia._

_But what about her soul?_

How would she forgive herself knowing she'd killed an innocent? The humans may have done the same to the Dragon Prince, but why should someone who took no part in it, an heir, suffer for what his predecessors had done?

Would it be justice? Or murder? An innocent's blood on her hands for Xadia?

Runaan. Runaan would know what to do.

Before she could decide what to do, another voice began calling out as footsteps drew close. "Ezran! Ez, where are you! Look, I'm sorry about what I said, but we really have to go! If this is a game, it's not funny anymore!"

Rayla's eyes snapped from behind her to the small boy in front of her. Time seemed to slow. The boy's mouth opened to call back or warn them, and she could either let herself be discovered or slit his throat before he could get out a single syllable. And it'd be easy. So easy.

But…couldn't there be another option? As Rayla wracked her brain, she knew she had to make a decision here and now.

"Cal—"

She lunged forward.

* * *

"Ezran! Ez, where are you! Look, I'm sorry about what I said, but we really have to go! If this is a game, it's not funny anymore!" Callum shouted as he searched the halls for his brother. Where could he be? Then he hadn't been thinking when he shouted at Ezran about assassins coming to kill Harrow.

And now he couldn't find his little brother in a castle set to be invaded by people looking to kill the King and anyone who stood in their way.

Where was he?

He had considered searching for him in the passages hidden within the walls, but there were just so many only Ezran knew, the only thing he'd accomplish was get himself lost. Playing hide-and-seek with him was enough to make one tear his own hair out. And it now seemed Callum was an unwilling participate of the game.

What was he going to do if he couldn't find Ezran in time? Obviously, he wouldn't leave without him, but what if the assassins we coming through the passages and found him. If anything happened to Ezran all because of a few words he'd said in a rash moment of anger, Callum would never forgive himself.

"Cal—" His brother's yell cut off abruptly followed by Bait's familiar panicked croak.

Callum was 90% positive he left skid marks on the floor with the speed he turned and ran in the direction of the sound. "Ezran! Ez—" He froze once he came upon the scene.

One of the paintings on the wall was opened outward like a door, revealing a dark tunnel behind leading to who knows where. But the corridor itself was entirely empty except for him.

Ezran would never leave one of his "secret entrances" open.

There also was no body or even blood spattered along the wall. A small consolation if any. If someone had him, they were keeping him alive.

At least until they no longer needed him.

Assassination was one thing. Kidnapping was another. And not entirely improbable. If assassins discovered their plan was known, they would go for the next best thing. Ransom in exchange for the Crown Prince's safety, a tactic Callum would have thought about.

Harrow would know what to do. Even Viren would know what to do. He may not like Callum, but he was the High Mage of Katolis, and he had always done what was in the kingdom's best interest. He had to know what to do.

All that mattered was that his brother was in danger. His baby brother.

Ezran, his wonderful stupid baby brother. His unique combination of sweetness, mischief and jelly tarts, his beautiful annoying baby brother, who makes up stories of treasure behind waterfalls and would never admit to misplacing his sketchbook after he borrowed it for the umpteenth time, who's probably found every hidden tunnel and pathway in the castle for the singular purpose of searching for sweets.

His baby brother who crawls into his bed and curls up underneath his arms in the dead of night, whimpering from an imagined terror, who sneaks him bites of sweets while their tutors are distracted, who cheers for him in fights against Soren, who spends hours planning the perfect route into the bakery, who found an injured Bait, and spent months nursing him back to health rather than leave him to suffer.

His baby brother, who Callum firmly believes will one day become the kindest and most understanding king this kingdom has seen. Maybe not the most powerful, but if anyone out there could bring peace to the land and end the war with Xadia, it would be him.

His baby brother, not a baby, not anymore, but innocent, so innocent. His baby brother, who believes in the best this world has to offer, the best of humanity, the best of him.

(Ezran)

Eyes hardening with resolve, Callum took off down the hall, he shouted for help, hoping somebody would hear him. And if nobody would go after them, he'd go himself.

They would not touch him.

Years ago, Callum had lost his mother to Thunder. In exchange, four months ago, Thunder had been slaughtered. And now Ezran could be the next. A cycle. A cycle of death and vengeance.

And Callum would do whatever it took to make sure his brother didn't become its next victim.


	2. You Had ONE Job

Prince Ezran's gaze, innocent, blue, and anxious, stared up at Rayla while he walked with her, her sword at the ready to nudge him along if he faltered or tried to run. He stared at her pain, her determination, her weakness, the only reason he was still alive. Because she failed.

She swore to Runaan she wouldn't hesitate again when the opportunity came to take again. And yet she had.

As he stared, it seemed to pierce into her very mind and soul.

The frog in his arms croaked. "Where are you taking me?" he finally asked, breaking the silence.

"To my team," Rayla answered shortly. She couldn't allow herself to feel regret for what she was doing. That she was taking him to someone who could complete the mission. Who could be ready to fulfill his mission in that one moment before a kill, and actually carry it out.

"Are you going to kill me?" he asked quietly, too quietly, holding up the creature in his arms as if ready to brandish it as a weapon.

Rayla blanched immediately, almost freezing on the spot at the mere thought. "No! No of course not, I-"

When it finally came time to do it, to take the life of her target, for Runaan, for her queen, for Xadia, but outside of the love of her country, to protect her home, her people, she had no other reason to kill. She was an assassin, but...this child, this innocent, how could she kill him? He shouldn't have to die. His father had done wrong against all of Xadia for ordering the death of Thunder, but this boy had done nothing, absolutely nothing wrong.

Why should he be punished for his only crime being born son to King Harrow? For being born heir to the throne of a kingdom they had no clue how he'd rule in a...decade? Maybe less.

In time perhaps, he may be something dangerous. But now, all he was...was someone who was absolutely defenseless. Who had originally acted as if all the obvious differences between the two, all the danger she had posed when she first pointed that blade at his throat, could have been resolved by offering her a human baker's treat.

"I wouldn't."

"Then why are you taking me? I promise I won't tell anyone you were here," he said, and despite everything, she recalled rich skies, glimmering stars at twilight, beckoning, the moon, hard rocky cliffs, the thick brush of trees. Dragons flying ahead and above, their cries echoing across open plains. Elves, her people, children running around, shrieking, hiding among trees, running to returning family and friends, the bridges, the cobblestone, the canals running through the city. Ruunan teaching her to run, to fight, carved necklaces and a home to return to.

The home she was supposed to fight for. That she was supposed to take this child's life for.

_Her heart for Xadia._

The boy looked at her, and maybe it was because of something he sensed, but he then relaxed ever so slightly. The prince shifts, lowering the frog in-between the two. "Please, I gotta go find Callum. He's probably worried about me."

Her stomach rebels as horror comes crashing back at the thought even if she'd spared her life she may be leading him to death once again, icy tendrils slicing their way to squeeze back into her. Her mouth opens silently. Closes.

The memory of her home vanished in a puff of smoke, or more accurately, a churn of the stomach. Rayla swallowed, trying desperately to drown the sick in her throat. "Who- you were calling to him, yeah? Who is he?"

The boy ran up to be beside her, as if she hadn't snatched him from his home, as if she hadn't threatened to slice open his throats moments ago, a grin on his face immediately, creature hugged to his chest as he beamed up at her. "My brother!" he glowed, before seemingly shrinking in on himself, as if remembering his predicament. "He's probably mad at me for disappearing on him. We were supposed to leave before nightfall..." he trails off, face scrunching up.

Rayla berated herself once again. They could've been in and out without anyone's knowledge. She absently wondered if many people in the castle were trying or already managed to evacuate. Humans run from any sort of danger. It didn't seem there was a huge rush to leave, but it didn't seem like there were many people remaining either. She'd only seen the guards, and the prince.

Either way, nightfall wasn't too long away. She looked down at him contemplatively, his shifting from side to side under her gaze. He had family-

Family.

Her breath caught in her throat as she realized too late once she'd done. Prince Ezran had a family. If Callum was his brother, and he was the one he had tried to call out to, then they probably already knew about the prince's disappearance. They would come after him. He was their Crown Prince, their heir. King Harrow would come searching for his son.

And she needed to escape, escape to find Runaan. He would be furious with her, but...he would know what to do. She hadn't realized she'd spoken it aloud until he stopped, making a wordless questioning noise.

"Is Runaan one of your friends? Is he an elf like you?"

"Yeah, yeah, he...he'll want to talk to you."

Prince Ezran lifted up the creature in his arms up to his eyes. "What do you think Bait?" he asked the...lizard? The pet grumbled, skin darkening into a rich violet. "Well, it can't be that bad!" he answers easily, smiling back up. "A stranger is just a friend you haven't met yet!" he said and nudged the creature.

The lizard lightened, grumbling once more, looking away.

"Great!" the boy smiles up at her, gesturing to the path before them. "Let's go, then!"

And Rayla continued to lead them along, lead the boy to his death, as the two of them walked side by side through the forest.

Runaan would know what to do. He was willing to do whatever it took for Xadia.

She, apparently, wasn't.

They continue to walk, Prince Ezran holding his toad in a near-death grip as they continue to search, continue in silence and the prince steadily grows stiffer.

"What's your brother like like?" she asks him quietly after some time had passed, if only to break the silence and ease the tendrils of guilt wrapping their way about her heart.

"Well..." Prince Ezran began carefully, "he likes to draw. Like, he draws a lot. He's got a really good memory, so he's always drawing things he's seen, or what he remembers, and he's really good at it... but he sucks at fighting." He giggled, face radiant and gleaming, and she's struck again by how young he is.

Rayla snorted alongside him. After that he grew quiet, but thankfully still smiling, more gentle than exuberant, more comfortable.

"He's a good brother. Sometimes he gets angry and says stuff he doesn't mean, like this morning, when he said assassins were coming to kill our dad." Rayla tensed, but it went unnoticed as his grin dimmed yet brightened a moment later if possible. "But he always apologizes. And if he's really sorry, he'll do the jerk-face dance!"

"The what now?" she plays along to the boy's infectious cheer.

"The crazy jerk-face dance! It's a dance of stupitude and sorry-ness" he announces loftily in a deeper tone meant to possibly imitate his older brother, dissolving into a fit of giggles. "And—and he'll pull all-nighters to draw, he's always tripping up when he talks to Claudia, and he'll wake up in the middle of the night to draw the dream he just had before falling asleep on the desk instead of the bed and all the lines get smeared, or he'll read me and Bait stories and give all the characters different voices" he continued, slowing. Now tears were beginning to well up in his eyes.

"And when thunder's really bad, he—he lets me crawl into bed with him, and he sneaks me jelly tarts when I'm grounded, and stays with me when I'm sick, even when guards try to force him to leave and tell him he'll get sick too if he stays." He sniffed and reached up to rub his eyes. "Sometimes we fight, and he doesn't always believe me, but—but he's always there for me." His voice grew thick. "He's always trying to protect me." He frowned at the ground and hugged himself, suddenly looking vulnerable, and so, so small.

"I don't know what I'd do if I—if I didn't..."

Rayla abruptly understood. It wasn't just the fear of a child separated from an older brother, it was the fear of being separated from someone you care about, who you look up too. Separated from someone who'd taught you everything, been there for you, someone who would always have your back. It's the fear of never seeing again someone you know would die for you, who you instinctively fear will one day never return home.

She had that feeling when she was little. Runaan would be out on a mission as always, and she'd be home with Tinker waiting, waiting for him to come back. Being an assassin meant there was always the possibility you'd never return. And she would tackle him every time he walked back through the door after days or even weeks of that worry.

She leaned forward, wrapping him into a hug, trying to convey her understanding with only a touch. For a moment, everything stilled.

He smiled up at her, wiping away his tears, and she returned it, softening before her mind flashed forward to a vision of him with a bloodied neck and empty, innocent blue and wide eyes dropping lifelessly onto the ground, and her smile strained and grip tightened imperceptibly.

It would be for Xadia.

Or maybe not. The king would come to them willingly if he thought it would save his son. Maybe. Hopefully. If Runaan understood. Only one may have to die tonight.

She spared herself a moment, a mere second to contemplate. The prince had a brother. He had a father, a father who...

She ruthlessly cuts off that train of thought, it didn't matter. Doesn't matter. She had a job to complete and if she couldn't do it, she'd have to leave it to those who could, no matter what the ache in her chest was telling her.

Xadia, Xadia, Xadia.

Rayla unwraps her arms from him and scrambled to her feet, stifling a fond smile. She couldn't get attached to him, couldn't forget he was human. Except... If only all humans were like this one, the world could be a much better place, maybe the war would never have started in the first place, maybe the Divide never may have happened to begin with.

But she had a mission.

The binding on her wrists, ones that would tighten so long as the prince and his father were alive. Tighter and tighter, cutting off the blood flow. Until the hand would either fall off or need to be amputated to prevent infection.

It would be decided when she found Runaan.

* * *

Callisto was the one who reported Rayla missing from where Runaan had left her.

Runaan nearly cursed the air blue when he had gotten word of her defiance. Again. She was supposed to stay out of the way where their jobs wouldn't be harder after she had let the human guard go.

They had debated on whether or not to go look for her. Kouru argued against it. It was too dangerous to search for her. Especially when guards could still be patrolling the area and with nighttime only a few hoursaway, after their last close call, they couldn't risk it. Kai was reluctant to agree. However, Hyla was the one who pointed out that if Rayla were captured, the guards might be able to pinpoint their camp, or worse, they'd torture the information out from her, get her to reveal their location. Then, they would know that the moon moth from earlier had not been wrong.

Their entire mission would be severely compromised.

But Runaan was their leader. He held the last say even before any of them gave their input. He would have gone alone, even, to find her. They couldn't simply abandon Rayla to the humans for a variety of reasons. Reasons practical, ethical and personal. One thing was for certain. If they got out of this alive, it would be a long time before he considered taking her along on another mission. She needed more training, apparently. And discipline. Mentally and emotionally.

It took long enough for the council to agree. And he'd have to return to reveal he had indeed misplaced his judgement. Rayla would face punishment for her disobedience once they returned home, if not by Runaan's hands, then by the council.

Toward the castle was the only direction Runaan needed to mind. That was the only way she would have gone. She would do whatever it took to fix the shame Runaan's sister brought upon them by running from her duties with her husband once Thunder fell. He knew she was determined to fix her mishap. But she still was but a child. Children hadn't a clue of the consequences of their actions, hardly even though them through. It was why he had sat her down on that rock and ordered her to stay, ordered her to go home if they didn't return.

Through the trees, they flew, time of the essence. Sundown was not too long from now and, at some point, if they did not find Rayla then they would need to leave her. Runaan ran the option through his mind, but... he did not particularly like it. At all. What he did know was that the punishment for her disobedience, no—insubordination—was going to have to be severe. With luck, they would allow him to be the one to handle that in Xadia. As her commander and having known her the longest, it was only natural.

Then again, they could deem those many years he had looked after her a weakness. He didn't want to think of what another might do in the wake of such insolence on such an important mission.

Runaan would take the blame. It was his fault, after all, their mission was compromised by Rayla's actions. He had thought that she was ready. He had thought that her talent would carry on to her discipline. He was wrong. She displayed all the potential, more potential than most her age, and he still believed in that talent and potential, but it needed to be nurtured more. Honed. If they returned home, he told himself.

When they returned home.

And it was as that thought died that her voice pricked at his ear. He had been listening to that voice for most of her entire life and nearly half of his own. He knew what it sounded like. And he knew the voice joining hers was not her own nor was it familiar.

They moved faster, quieter.

There, in a clearing between the trees, was Rayla. Her blades were tucked away and she was talking to someone. Talking with a gentle tone Runaan hardly knew her to use. He followed her gaze to see who it was, and his eyes narrowed at what he saw.

A human.

Runaan shared a look with Callisto. Then, with the rest of his team.

When they descended from the trees, the human boy immediately clutched the glow toad tightly in his arms as if ready to brandish it as a weapon, and stepped closer to Rayla. Runaan nodded at the others to lower their weapons. Human or not, this was a mere child. Runaan did his best to avoid situations like this like the plague. Yet they had happened more than once; a little girl or boy would be out exploring and see something they shouldn't have, see them. And more than once if there wasn't enough time to tie them up or stop them from telling anyone, then... He would do what had to be done.

Regrettable. But it wouldn't have been the first time a mistake cost innocent lives never meant to be lost. He had a dreading feeling that it wouldn't be the last.

"R-Runaan." As Rayla said his name, her voice shook the slightest. His brows furrowed as the young boy slowly began to step forward toward them.

"Rayla, who is this?" Callisto asked. His short, white hair somehow probably made him look all the more menacing to the child. He seemed to freeze a little after he spoke, but kept moving until he was a foot or so away, looking up at Runaan with wide, blue eyes. The two just stand there, staring at each other, uncertain on how to proceed, because really, there was a literal child walking straight up to them as if though concerned, he was overall unbothered since this was the expected outcome.

The boy's gaze glances away, darting across their faces and his eyes begin to sparkle. Before Runaan could even suspect any hint of suspicion or deceit, a trap, the boy looked back at Rayla, grinning.

"Do elves like jelly tarts too?" he gasps in wonder, completely defenseless. As if she, as if none of them, posed absolutely no danger to him, as if they weren't a threat. As if all the obvious differences between the two species and all the bitterness that could be festering between them could be resolved by the simultaneous love for a baker's treat.

Rayla put a hand up to her mouth, either to stifle a smile or a laugh. "I'm, uh, not sure on that one," she said quietly.

"Rayla, what have you done?" demanded Runaan, his gaze piercing, and she flinched under its scrutiny while he awaited an answer.

It was the boy who spoke up. "Don't get mad at her, I wanted to come." He stepped in front of her to be in his view again. "Well, at first I was scared, but then she told me she was just trying to help me."

Kouru frowned, his hair curtaining half his face. "Just run home, kid, and forget you ever saw us. This has nothing to do with you."

"It does too!" the boy exclaimed. Everyone is talking about how you're trying to kill my dad!"

Dad?

Rayla froze.

Runaan looked up at the castle. Then, down at the boy.

They're trying to kill the king. This child would only be saying that if... The king was this boy's father. They were searching also for a prince. A prince who would grow to take his father's place. This boy who must also be the king's son, who must also be a prince, had also been found by Rayla. In the castle. A prince they came to Katolis specifically to kill.

No, Rayla couldn't have...

She didn't.

"Hey, uh, what's your name?" Kouru asked now in a gentler tone, kneeling down to the level of the damning sight before them.

"Me?" The boy looks at him questioningly, meeting his gaze but shrugs, the creature in his arms. Looking so small.

"I'm Ezran."

Runaan stared at Rayla wide-eyed as she seemed to shrink in on herself when his eyes narrowed. What had she done? "You're a fool, Rayla," he snarled.

* * *

Callum raced up the staircase, breathing heavily from running through the halls in search of Harrow. He hadn't bothered to stop once except to finally ask where the king was. Still puffing lightly as he came to a standstill at the top of the stairs, he caught Viren walking out of Harrow's chambers.

The High Mage looked shock to find him there, but Callum immediately burst out what he had to say.

"I-" began Prince Callum.

Viren had not once cared about what Callum had to say and certainly wasn't starting now. "Get him out of here," he barked at the nearest Crownguard.

"No!" Callum shouted, dodging the Crownguard's hand reaching out for him. "Please...listen! The assassins, they're—they're not coming for the king!"

"What are you on about?"

"They—they took Ezran! I can't find him anywhere!"


	3. Spoils of Rage

"What were you thinking?" Runaan demanded, watching her flinch at his tone. Not once had he ever spoken to her like this. Before he hadn't been angry, no. Frustrated, yes, because she'd made his job all the more harder. But he understood she was still just a child, not ready to spill blood just yet. Now?

This wasn't just another one of her little mishaps he could try to fix. This wasn't just a simple screw-up she might make when she was little. She had kidnapped the Crown Prince, something no one in the castle would go long without noticing. She had allowed Prince Ezran to live despite the binding that would cut deeper and deeper into his arms, and for the rest, their wrists, each passing day there was breath in his body. It was supposed to be simple, in and out without being noticed much. Not too much blood spilled. Not too many casualties and innocent lives taken.

Only two targets were needed for justice.

And now not only had Rayla compromised that part in which they could take the king by surprise and minimize the body count by refusing to kill the guard, but she'd also taken the Crown Prince, an offense the King would not take lying down. They'd think the prince was their sole target all along, and they'd known it was them because Rayla let the guard go. Katolis would search for them, King Harrow would stop at nothing to find his heir.

Because of Rayla, their mission was shambled beyond repair, and she may as well have killed them all.

He wasn't just upset, he wasn't just mad. He was absolutely furious.

"I—I tried, but I couldn't do it!" Rayla defended herself. "He looked at me with fear in his eyes, and... Runaan, he's too young to be any threat to us! He's never done anything to us!"

"Rayla, we bound ourselves!" Runaan snapped, eyes livid. "Our duty is to Xadia! If you didn't think you were ready, you shouldn't have come in the first place!"

Kouru was struggling to hear the argument but he was sidetracked by the small human who apparently now decided to latch onto him with Rayla no longer available. Even with one or two-worded answers, the young child shot a volley of questions faster than he could keep up. They ranged from "What treats do elves like?", often followed by the prince offering him one of the many jelly tarts stashed in his bag, to "Why do you have four fingers?" (He did not dignify that one with an answer) which afterward the prince held up his hands to compare. EIther that or he'd ramble on about random topics, like his pet whose name was apparently Bait and was his best friend in the whole darn world.

He kept glancing over his shoulder every so often at Hyla or Kai, hoping they'd cut in, and the boy could bother them next, but they were seemingly having they're own debate with one another so it seemed Kouru was stuck watching the child. Something he had no clue how to do in the slightest.

Moon above, he was an assassin, not a babysitter.

Still, it brought to question how the young prince could be so friendly? It wasn't even about them being elves and this small human child just walked straight up to them, but he had known Kouru for exactly five minutes and was talking to him like this was just a casual encounter in the woods. Didn't his father ever warn him about stranger danger? His literal first sight of them were with their weapons drawn; the boy was half his own size. But Prince Ezran didn't seem remotely intimidated or scared for his life even while the others were discussing his fate, just the occasional mention of how his father and brother were probably worried about him at home and that he should get back soon.

Despite their mission, Kouru couldn't help but be bothered that this kid was just too damn trusting.

Were all human children this naive?

In their culture, Moonshadow elves claimed they didn't have children. Only weapons. Few chose other professions. Soon as he was old enough, Kouru had taken up training. Their kind were not a...friendly type, per se; there were the few odd ones out, but most were a cold, hardened bunch, changed by the humans' destruction of all that mattered to them.

Show no fear, that's what he was taught. Emotion is weakness. The Moon is not warm—why should they appear so? Human children, on the other hand, were claimed to be raised weak, gifted with frivolities and novelty items, instead of the tools and skills they need to survive.

Still, the one before him talked away, oblivious to the imminent risk of his life by the people before him. Just completely defenseless and so much more fragile and smaller than elven children. And he had to wonder if all humans start out this way, innocent, then grew over time into the terrible monsters that he'd met.

If so, then at what point did they lost that?

"Rayla, humans cut down the King of the dragons!" Runaan's voice was suddenly loud enough to cut through Prince Ezran's rambling. "And destroyed the only egg of the Dragon Prince. Justice cannot be denied!"

Yet Rayla kept defending her choice. Why? She could finally redeem her parents' mistake, serve justice for the death of the Dragon King and Prince. But...unfortunately the more the kid talked, the more he could see it from her side. "Justice! King Harrow killed the Dragon King, not his son. Runaan, he is innocent—"

"He is our target. We took an oath! Do you have any idea the retribution we'll face for taking the King's heir?"

Kouru turned the prince's attention away by asking a question of his own. "So, uh, what colors can Bait change again?"

But Prince Ezran would not be deterred. "Everyone's talking about that you want to hurt my dad. I-I want to tell them that Dad is a good person... that they don't need to-" He cut off, squeezing Bait tighter. "People say that elves are evil and that they want to kill all of us. But that's not true!" He paused again, and looked up at the elves surrounding him. "Right?"

"No, we're not monsters," Kouru said, watching him quickly wipe his eyes. "You shouldn't have come with her. You shouldn't be here at all."

"Yeah, well, you shouldn't either!"

Alright, technically he had a point.

"My dad is a good person!" Prince Ezran repeated, his voice shaky.

"Your father orchestrated the murder of the Dragon King and then destroyed his only egg!" Runaan snapped, obliviously more in tuned to the conversation than he'd appeared. "Our people desire some semblance of justice for the horrible crimes your people committed."

"And then will happen?" Ezran asked.

"War, little prince, look at the world around you."

Prince Ezran walked in between Runaan and Rayla. "Can't you just talk about it?" he asked, tilting his head. "Besides, it's not Rayla's fault. She got all the way into the castle, and she didn't even get caught!" he gushed, his eyes sparkling. "She was just doing her best. And it was so cool how she carried me and Bait, and jumped from roof to roof!" Suddenly, he gasped, as if remembering something. "Oh, now I really have to get back soon. I wanted to show Callum this cool thing I found in the dungeon, it's magic, I can tell."

"Magic?" Hyla asked, walking forward.

"Mhm!" As the young prince recounted his story, his words tumbling out in a rush, barely pausing to take a breath, using both hands to gesticulate as he told his tale. About how there were many, many tunnels in the walls of the castle and he'd found them all, and even though it would help their mission, Kouru almost wanted to facepalm from how painfully trusting this kid was. He had just begun telling about how just before Rayla took him and mentioned the thing he found was this glowing rock thing that looked like an egg shape when Hyla stopped him again.

"An egg shape?" Her eyebrows were furrowed as she glanced over at Runaan. "And you think it was...magic?"

"Yeah!" Ezran beamed. "There was a noise coming from it. I think it was alive!"

Hyla stood abruptly. "Runaan."

Runaan turned to her. She gestured for him to come with her. After making sure Kouru and Kai were watching the prince, he let her take him off to the side. "This changes things."

Runaan kept his voice low. "This changes nothing."

"He's describing the Dragon Prince's egg," she hissed.

"Speculation."

"Then don't you think we should go see for ourselves?"

"He could be lying. He's a human, our target, Hyla."

"A human child," she said. "And if he's right, then maybe...maybe The Dragon Prince is still alive. If we see for ourselves, we can take it back and we'll have the egg. There wouldn't be any need for justice against the young prince. This is the heir to Katolis and a nephew to the great General Amaya. He is worth more to us alive than dead."

"What then? I can't simply undo this. We bound ourselves, Hyla."

"Justice will still be taken with the King's death, Runaan, but if it turns out the egg is alive, then we will have the egg of The Dragon Prince. You said it yourself. Life is precious. If we find out that the Prince lived, we don't need to take this one, anymore."

Runaan turned to look at the prince. Prince Ezran was looking right at him. The boy said, "I'll go with you. I know where everything is and I'll take you there... If you don't hurt my dad."

Runaan considered those words. Hyla's voice was in his ear. "Peace can be had, Runaan."

"You can't hurt my brother, either." Runaan raised his eyebrows at the Prince's second request. "I'm sure he'll understand once I explain everything."

Callisto shook his head. "We can't. If the prince lives, we all lose our hands."

Hyla snapped, "Is that not worth it for Xadia? We could have the egg. The egg we all thought had been destroyed. Do you realize what kind of change that could bring?"

"We'll be slowed down," Callisto argued. "Runaan, you know we don't have time for this."

"The Dragon Queen can unbind us," said Hyla. "Dragons have powerful magic. If we find the egg, we can get it to her, and she most likely will release us from our bindings."

Kai stood next to Callisto. "Wait a minute. Are we sure about that? Are we sure she can do that?"

"Losing my hand is worth it if it means getting The Dragon Prince back to his mother."

Callisto snorted, "If he is even alive at all-"

"Enough. Runaan, make a decision." Kouru's voice cut clear between them. That tone made Runaan turn toward him. "The moon will rise soon. If we are to strike, it has to be tonight. What do we have to lose? If the young prince is right, we have the egg and can call off the mission. If he's wrong..."

Runaan turned to the prince and regarded him. For a moment, Runaan said nothing. Then, he broke his silence, "You will be compliant. You will be quiet. And if you become a liability, you will be dealt with. Is that understood?"

The prince shared a glance with Rayla who flashed him a small, reassuring smile. He looked back at Runaan and nodded.

"Very well. Come with us."

* * *

It was completely impromptu. Yet in the moment, it seemed the change of plans worked out better than he ever could have dreamed.

When Viren originally chalked up Callum's distress to the day's event, but when he tried to get one of the guards to get him out of the line of fire, he'd called out, "King Harrow!" and when that hadn't worked, desperate, he'd cried out, "Dad!"

It had its desired affect. Not a minute had passed after when Harrow threw open the doors to his chambers and ran out. "What happened?" he demanded, pushing past the Crownguards who tried to hold him back. "Callum, what's wrong?"

"They took Ezran! The assassins!" panted Callum as he shook off the guard holding him. "He ran off, and the next think I knew he was gone! I'm sorry, it was my fault!"

Harrow's eyes widened and he stumbled. Viren managed to catch him just in time, his mind already racing with what he could do with this situation to benefit his plans.

The Crown Prince was missing; he was certain the boy was still alive, possibly being kept alive by the Moonshadow elves that dared threaten to enter their fortress but there was no guarantee how long it would stay that way. The young prince was weak, a prince who would grow to make decisions that would keep Katolis and the humans from their rightful place in Xadia, but Harrow was willing to do anything to ensure his safety.

And whether the prince was kept alive or not, he could sow the seeds of despair the longer he was missing that he was in danger, and over time, well, it'd be a shame if something were to happen to the poor thing before he was saved. Any indication at all that the young prince wasn't so lucky, that the elves were what Viren had tried to get Harrow to believe: Bloodthirsty, vengeful monsters who couldn't be reasoned with.

Harrow would stand by his side again at last.

Straightening his shoulders as he helped Harrow up, hands clasped behind his back, Viren set his face into a stony, blank expression. He could play the part of a grieving man just as easily as he could act out all of his other expected roles.

"You are certain?" Harrow asked.

Callum nodded.

"But not dead," Viren reminded, "certainty of death would mean having his body in our possession, which we've found no trace of."

"Send out every soldier. Search every inch until he's found," Harrow said roughly, shaking off Viren. "They can't be too far away."

"Yet...we are not certain that you are no longer their target. You cannot be left unprotected—"

Jerking forward, a deadly fire burning in his smoldering green eyes, Harrow straightened to his full height—not much taller than Viren but in this state, it seemed as though he was fifty, a hundred feet tall—and spat, "Dead or alive, I will find my son. If he is alive, then I will have him returned to me safely. If he is dead, then I will make sure every inch of Moonshadow territory is razed and burned until there is nothing but ashes! Do you understand me?!"

"Yes, sir," Viren said humbly, bowing his head and fighting against every instinct to smile. "I will do everything in my power to find Prince Ezran. Now, please, you must return to be placed under protection."

"I will not stay idle while my son may be in danger or rotting in some wood!" Harrow snarled, taking a step forward to Callum whose face had gone pale at the mention of his brother's possible death. "Come on, Callum, it's going to be alright," he said, his expression softening. "We'll find him. If we find him before sunrise, there's still a chance."

"And what do you plan to do, sir?" Viren asked cooly. "When there's the slightest possibility you can't once the moon rises—" He stopped a moment when Harrow looked over his shoulder at him with a searing look—"And the people will need some reassurance once they find out. What are you going to do then? Run yourself to the ground searching through the entire castle? The entire forest?"

"If that's what it takes." This time it was Callum who spoke. Because this was his precious, baby brother. He was more than willing to do what it takes to get him back. When he thought it'd only been Harrow, he'd been willing then and he was willing now if it meant keeping his sweet, annoying baby brother safe.

"If Prince Ezran cannot be retrieved on time, that means you will have to take the place of Prince Regent, Prince Callum," Viren sighed heavily. "Neither of you are worth anything to Prince Ezran or this kingdom if you don't stay protected. If the Crown Prince is indeed in Moonshadow custody then you need to be ready to defend him. If it is as we feared, you will need to prepare for battle."

"But—" Callum began.

"Did you not take in consideration this way also simply be a ploy to get you out in the open?" Viren challenged. "That once they have the opportunity, they make sure none of the royal family survives tonight? We will find the prince, but the King is not good to anyone dead, and with him gone, neither are you. Don't you agree?"

Harrow glared at him, his gaze so heated that Viren was surprised it didn't burn a hole clean through his forehead then wrenched his gaze away. "Find my son, Viren."

"I give you my word, my king." Viren placed a hand over his heart, bowed low then turned and walked quickly down the stairs.

Once he was safely out of sight of anyone who would find him smiling at a moment like this bizare, Viren finally let the somber expression drop away, replaced by one of delighted satisfaction. Everything was set in motion. He knew no amount of hints would ever be enough to convince Harrow or the step-prince. No, the body of Prince Ezran was needed. That would be the only thing to push Harrow over the edge, to actually follow through on his threat to burn the lands of the Moonshadow elves, and hopefully all of magical Xadia to embers.

Even if the monsters didn't carry through with Ezran's execution on their own, Viren would send his children after them under the guise of rescuing Ezran. Neither would dare defy him. And it wouldn't be long until the body of Prince Ezran was placed before the king and his stepson, and his plan could finally be underway. Harrow would follow him like a dog on a leash, straight into the heart of Xadia, heart intent on revenge. And, oh, he would reap the soils of that rage.

* * *

Author's Note: Okay, I'm thinking about Callum maybe joining team Viren at least for a little bit because I've always thought it a little weird in the show that, while I can understand Ezran because he has that young naivety most kids have, Callum sided with the elf that chased him down, nearly killed him, and admitted to being an assassin there to kill his family, and not Claudia who he's known probably most of his life. As much as he'd believe ending the cycle of violence, I honestly doubt that if they did kidnap Ezran he would immediately side with the elves. So, yeah, I think he might be on team Viren for a bit to search with Claudia and Soren for his brother at least until he realizes Viren's true intentions


	4. Time for Plan C

As Rayla thought on something as they walked, she began to realize something: During the binding ritual, she had sworn her heart for Xadia. Her whole life she'd found herself training to be strong, like Runaan, like she'd...thought her parents had been. Until she realized the people who'd she'd looked up to for so long for were nothing but a couple of cowards who'd turned their backs on their duties.

Was she no better? She was turning her back on Xadia by going against that same oath she'd made. She hadn't even been so sure when it came time for the ritual, whether it was the right thing to do. A proper Moonshadow assassin wouldn't question themselves on what was right and what was wrong; all they thought on was their mission, who lived and who died. That was all that was supposed to matter.

Maybe she just wasn't meant for all this. Rather then follow her orders, she'd chosen to inject herself where she wasn't meant to be. Runaan ordered her to stay out of the way where she couldn't do any more harm.

Instead all she had seemed to get done was make everything worse. Everyone else seemed to have what it takes. They are cold and efficient when it came to their job. They were strong enough to shed blood and do what needed to be done where it mattered.

Not her.

If she was, Ezran wouldn't still be alive in the first place. Yet she didn't regret that, although she had a feeling she would have if she'd gone through with it.

All these years she'd spent training. All these years trying to be like her parents and Runaan, and then the past few months trying to prove herself to be the opposite from her parents. She was the youngest assassin on the team, and the youngest to go on a mission at all, much less one so significant.

This was supposed to be the mission that showed she wasn't as weak as her pathetic parents had been. The mission where she proved herself.

But when Ezran had looked at her, his eyes were big and bright, holding childhood innocence. And she just...she just couldn't do it. No matter the importance she knew came with it.

Runaan still wasn't speaking to her after their initial argument. He could barely deign to look at her.

During their fight, Runaan had snapped at her that he thought she was better than this, his words cutting deeper than any blade. Was she, really? She knew what she was doing from the moment she held her blades before the prince and chose to not to raise them but lower them. She knew what it could mean for her or for him. She knew what it could mean for all of them. And she still did it, and likely would again given the chance.

If Runaan thought she was "better than this," then maybe he didn't know her as well as he thought.

And maybe she didn't know him as well as she thought either. The Runaan she'd known and grown up with was compassionate and protective. He had always known what was best and did what was best for her. Her Runaan would've understood. Her Runaan wouldn't have doubted her.

This Runaan was not her friend or her uncle; he was her leader and she his follower. It was this Runaan she'd disobeyed, this Runaan who would punish her for her insubordination if not now then later. This Runaan who was bound by duties and traditional views that had been drilled into his head by their people, the same views drilled into Rayla's own. This Runaan who would eliminate anybody who stood in the way of completing his objective, even if that somebody was her.

Rayla couldn't bear seeing Runaan's disappointment in her. He was the one she had looked up to for most of her life, who raised her when her parents were absent, who never gave up on her as he taught her everything he knew, who had always been there for her. He was all she had left after her parents betrayed her and everything they were_ supposed _to have... and now she had failed in every expectation he had ever had for her.

She had failed her team by not killing the human guard. She'd failed Runaan by going against every belief she'd taught him. She'd failed Xadia by breaking her oath and sparing the target.

Worst of all, she'd failed _herself _by being too weak. She had left to prove she wasn't anything like her parents, and the only thing her actions brought upon her was show that she was exactly like them.

* * *

Callisto looked back at Rayla whose head was down as she brought up the rear, and not even Prince Ezran with his exuberance and bright grins (it must be a spell, how else could one maintain such a glow?) could seem to cheer her up. Runaan had wanted to leave her behind, but Kouru interfered, reminding him of the trouble she caused the last time she'd been left alone.

When it came to their jobs, one could never blame anyone for the loss of their own life. You were responsible for yourself as dependence on team members could only take you so far, and even that was unreliable since there have been...elves who'd defected. Therefore, as much as they worked in teams, it was each assassin's responsibility to prepare yourself. It was why if they were captured, Moonshadow elves were taught to think of themselves as already dead. No one was coming to save them. If they could not find their own way out, they were already dead.

In case of sabotage and they were too far into the mission, they were also supposed to improvise. There was no point in turning against each other over a mistake or other. When things didn't work as planned, you must work with the shambles remaining.

And he could tell what Runaan was thinking, that despite being taught otherwise, he did _feel _anger and blame toward Rayla, for all that she had done to lead both him and their team into a situation that could mean their end. Once Runaan acknowledged that the reason why it was so hard for him to so much as _look _at her after their reunion, he knew it was because he couldn't look at her without feeling the effects of what she had done. Callisto also knew that it was up to him to master the emotions that were now hurting both of them. And if it went on into the mission, it could end up hurting all of them.

His back was not turned for more than a second before Runaan felt Callisto's eyes on him, and after a weighted few seconds, Runaan said, "If you have something you wish to say, I suggest you say it."

"You have to talk to her about this," Callisto said in a low voice, without a moment's hesitation. "I think is been decided she's more emotional than we are. And she probably thinks you hate her now. You're going to have to put this aside and focus on the task at hand."

"I know that," Runaan said, through a clenched jaw. He looked over to find that Callisto sending him a look, the same when he tried to take Rayla off the mission, and once again, Runaan knew he was returning the expression in kind.

"Then maybe you could try _acting_ like it," Callisto said, his voice hard. "Because right now it's like you're shunning her for doing what she _thought_ was the right thing."

". . . 'The right thing,'" Runaan repeated. "We may all be dead as a direct result of Rayla's actions. While each of us are responsible for our own preparation and abilities, the fact remains that a key component of our mission has now suffered irreparable sabotage at Rayla's hands. She betrayed not only our mission, but all of us as well. Would you call that doing 'the right thing'?"

Runaan did not miss the roll of the eyes that crossed Callisto's face. "Now that's a bit of an exaggeration. In her mind, it was the right thing, and she's too young to know any better, any more than that kid is too young to know to be afraid of us—"

"She's fifteen, she was _supposed _to be ready."

"In her defense, we were at _least_ eighteen before the council even considered us for a mission, and it was practically insignificant," he shot back without missing a beat. "And if I remember correctly, _you_ managed to make quite a few mistakes back in the day where you bit off more than you can chew. Especially one in particular that nearly cost us—"

"We will not discuss that. In fact, why don't you just. Stop. Talking?"

"Still touchy, I see, after nearly fifteen years. We were adults then, and we still made mistakes we didn't know better than to make. Like you said, Rayla's a child, and we don't need children on this mission, but it is what it is now. Rayla spared Prince Ezran's life, and we have to work with what we're given."

"Yes," Runaan agreed but said no more.

Clenching his jaw, Callisto said something he hoped didn't get it broken. "Have more faith in her. One moment of pity doesn't make her..." He paused, catching the withering expression Runaan sent his way, daring, _daring_ him to utter a single syllable of her name, then pushed on anyway. "_She's not Lorcán,_ Runaan."

"Do _not_," Runaan pronounced very carefully, his fists clenching at his sides, "mention her _name_."

"Oh, don't tell me it's not that incident at the front of your mind that's causing you to be so harsh on her," Callisto demanded. "Because just like then, she also spared a human, a human you—"

"She turned her back on us and Xadia. Do not dignify that act," Runaan spat, the look he flashed Callisto stopping him dead. "As for my deeds, I was as foolish as Rayla is now. But she'll learn in time like I did that no human can be trusted." He spared a look back toward Ezran with his bright smiles and glow. "I can see it in her face, she's already starting to grow soft. Do not let that child sway you from our goal. He is a human, and young though he may be, he will end up like the rest of them, like his father..."

"Whatever you say," Callisto shrugged and made to fall back, but not before he struck a low blow. "Although in Rayla's defense, you didn't seem to think that with—"

"Callisto, I am warning you—!"

"Okay, fine, fine, shutting up."

* * *

Callum knew just how much they were relying on luck for Ezran. Today he had lost someone he cared about, again, and it would be permanent if he didn't do anything soon. From what he had heard in the gossip that spread through the castle like wildfire there were six of them and it would be a trial to take them down even at their weakest. If they actually stormed the castle at the peak of the full moon it was unlikely anyone would survive.

The only advantage they had at all was the knowledge of their attack. Better than waking up the next morning to find Harrow in bed with his throat slit, and his brother...

Callum had to swallow as he suddenly found it hard to breath before taking a moment to calm. He rested his head against the wall and inhaled deeply, trying to tame his racing heart. In... Out... Like his mother showed him whenever he panicked and all the thoughts swarmed his head, and it was just too hard to suck air into a throat that felt narrow as a straw.

(In. Out.)

There had been wrongs committed on both sides of this war, logically Callum knew this, after all the destruction of the Thunder Dragon and his only egg was the reason why they were stuck in this situation in the first place, but Callum couldn't help but be afraid. He had never seen a Moonshadow elf outside of books, yet from the way the people were talking about them they were worse than other elves, bloodthirsty monsters who drank the blood of humans. He wanted the King to live... but he knew that they weren't sure what exactly the elves' plan was anymore, whether they'd even keep Ezran alive once they had Harrow, or they'd kill him anyway and then Callum would be all alone.

(In. Out.)

Even if they saved Ezran and got rid of the elves, more Moonshadow elves would come to take their place. This war was neverending. It had raged on in his parent's lifetime, their parents, and further and further back since the Divide. And unless something earth shattering happened... it would rage for his lifetime as well.

(In. Out.)

And this wasn't some fairytale or story where miracles happened and everyone lived happily ever after together. This cycle between Xadia and the Human Kingdoms would just keep going on and on, neither side willing to compromise.

(In. Out.)

Thunder had killed his mother. He knew in a way, he should have felt some sort of satisfaction when he heard Thunder had been killed, his life taken in return for taking his mother's. His loving, fierce mother who'd tuck him in at night, who would tell stories about her battles that sounded greatly exaggerated in some places (but Callum wouldn't care), who would sing him to sleep when he had nightmares and helped him through those moments of breathlessness, and who was willing to do anything to fight for her country and for him and his brother's futures. The mother Ezran would never actually know, too young to remember anything but brief glimpses and flashes of memories when she died.

(In. Out.)

But when Callum had heard about Thunder and the egg's destruction, all he'd felt was...a deep sadness. Callum and Ezran had lost their mother. King Harrow had lost his wife. But Xadia had lost their protector and heir. The Dragon Queen had lost her son and mate. In the end it was still two families mourning for lost ones. Two kingdoms mourning a monarch.

With one last exhale, Callum stood back straight. Say the Moonshadow elves did manage to kill them all, murder the whole royal family. Then what? Katolis will want revenge, and then vice versa once that revenge was carried out.

The only way to end this was to change things. Callum was resolute in his thinking, more and more pointless fighting wasn't going to accomplish anything. He was here, he had the opportunity... he had to do something.

So, he headed into one of the many secret passages Ezran had shown him and went down the long winding path down towards the room Claudia told him to meet her, doing the pattern she'd showed him. Claudia spoke to him earlier about needing to show him something they could use against the elves after catching him outside the tower. Within the first few seconds after she got out the two words, "What's wrong?" he broke down and told her everything. He wasn't sure what he'd find, after all Claudia and her father had...questionable methods.

"Relax, Callum, I'll make sure Ezran is safe and sound," she had assured him when she caught the doubt in his expression (she knew him too well). "I'll protect you both. Like my dad protects your dad."

The lair he found himself in didn't exactly ease those worries, but he trusted Claudia. Plus, they were really the only friends they had around their age that wasn't their own brothers. And that counts for a lot.

Maybe she didn't liked him the way he'd come to like her, but she was his best friend. His only friend beside Soren that wasn't Ezran.

He walked through the room, noting all the items inside that sent chills up his spine: Shriveled up, dead, or sliced up magical creatures in jars and the occasional elf horn from an unfortunate soul who'd winded up here. This was what they used for dark magic, then? He could see why his stepfather opposed it.

He's only alone for a moment until Claudia pokes her head out from the doorway. "Callum! Good, you're here, come on!" she urged, gesturing for him to follow her. Sparing one last look around, he suppressed a shudder and walked after her. She stopped in front of a pedestal where something atop it was covered in a dark tarp. "You can't tell the king about this, I promised Dad."

"I won't unless it's dangerous," Callum promised, raising an eyebrow. "What is it?"

She looks at him, with his messy dark hair and pencil-smudged hands and lets out a little hum. _The prince who will never be king_, she had overheard the castle guards once gibe. They spoke it like an insult... She can't sympathize with how they feel. Beyond her duty to the Crown, she actually liked Callum. She likes how he never teases her for reading all the time. She likes how she can be herself around him_. _With other people, she's always the High Mage's daughter first, and Claudia second. Sometimes, it feels like Callum's the only other person who understands how weird that can feel.

She can trust him with this.

"Look," she whispered despite nobody being in hearing range, and carefully lifted the tarp just enough for him to see.

"A...glowing rock?" he asked, brows furrowed.

"Not a rock." She recovered it, but he had already seen what she needed him to see. "An egg. The Dragon Prince's egg."

"The Dragon Prince? Didn't they say... "

"I know!" Claudia gushed, quickly shushing herself. "But my father managed to save it so the elves couldn't use it."

"Use it? It's an egg, Claudia!"

"And what do you think they're going to raise it into once it's hatched, Callum? A weapon. Thunder guarded the Border and ended up killing _thousands _of us for even approaching it, not just soldiers but innocent people, _families_, with _children_. Once this egg hatches, Xadia will find a way to raise it to do the same."

"But this is the reason they're coming!" Callum exploded. "Because they think we destroyed the egg. It's why they took Ezran!"

Claudia appeared deep in thought for a moment, then she tapped her nose before pointing it toward him with a grin and her eyes alight. "_We__ need magic to conquer magic,__" _she said, quoting her father's words whenever she looked over the exotic artifacts from her dad's expeditions to Xadia. "And we're going to use it to get him back."

"But you just said you took it for a reason. What's the point if you're just going to give it back?"

"I never said we were going to give back the egg, come on," Claudia snorted grabbing the primal stone she'd shown him earlier, the smooth surface of the dark blue orb cool under her fingers. "We just need to make them_ think_ we will. A Prince for a Prince, right? A fib or two never hurt anyone, right?"


	5. Decisions, Decisions

The halls were dark, torches smothered, and the stones beneath Rayla's boots made their footsteps echo through the emptiness. Prince Ezran guided them, the bright glow given off by Bait giving away his position in the darkness, not that the elves needed it either way, but human eyes were drastically weaker than their own. One palm tracing against the wall, tiny pebbles and dust and soot clung to Rayla's fingertips. Nothing more than Bait's natural glow to illuminate Ezran's path.

Rayla didn't miss when Runaan gave out orders to Kai, Hyla, and Callisto to head up to the tower and pose to strike in case their suspicions about the egg were wrong. If it turned out true, he'd send a signal and they'd retreat. They'd remember the conditions of their agreement with Ezran. The egg in exchange for his father's safety. And really, it would matter more to the Dragon Queen if they brought back her son alive then it would returning with King Harrow's head. However, if it turned out false...

Rayla gulped, flashing back to the image she'd held of Ezran with those blues eyes void of that spark she was becoming fond of, blood, his blood, falling into the stone floor. Despite her own careful steps, her heart's pounding loud enough she's surprised nobody's heard it. Loud assassins were dead assassins. Her eyes darted every so often among the walls, as if expecting something or someone to leap out at them, but none came.

Avoiding the guards was easy enough once the moon rose into the sky like a silver medallion, becoming invisible to even each other. It was odd to say the least, not being able to see your own hands and feet but after the first few minutes, she managed to adjust. The only indication they'd given Ezran to know their position was the occasional soft tap on the stone walls. Once they'd gotten inside where the moon's light couldn't reach them and they were visible again, it wasn't necessary, and with the prince's Glow Toad, he could see ahead and behind him just fine.

Still, it was bewildering how calm Ezran appeared considering the circumstances. Not even now did he seem afraid. Then again, why would he? According to him, he was familiar with the castle. Every crevice, every creaky stair, every locked door, every secret he seemed to know or had found out for himself lately. He'd grown up within these walls, with marathons of hide-and-seek and escaping from boring cotillions or state dinners. Every staircase railing had been slid down, every curtain hidden behind (or torn at least once), and she could see it in the way he moved with more certainty than the elves.

Rayla hadn't been allowed to so much as stand too close to Ezran since their discovery, but she stepped close as she dared so he was within arm's length. Her Runaan she would trust not to do anything that could hurt Ezran if it came to that. This one, she wasn't so sure of.

They walk quietly, the echo of their footsteps muted underneath and around them, lit by a cool, thrumming light reflecting off the cold stone of the passageway. They pass room after room, either Runaan or Kouru scouting quickly ahead, before returning to the passageway. With every empty room and abandoned hallway and no sign of anyone other than the guards, an ominous feeling began to weigh on her shoulders. The feeling that this was just too easy, too quiet. But Ezran walked on as if nothing's was wrong, heading from one to the next and between passages.

Finally he seemed to recognize something, and he looked over his shoulder at them before turning back into the passageway, waving them along, glowing once more. Seriously, what kind of magic was wasted on that glow? Who would bother spending that much time to construct something like that? Who does he know?

"Aha! It's this way!" he shouted, starting forward. The hallway, twisted and turned before stopping to a dead end.

"What game is this?" Runaan demanded, and Rayla almost moved before stopping herself.

Ezran only grinned back mischievously as he set Bait down.

"No game, trust me. A puzzle," he crowed, surging forward and pressing a number of different stones on the wall, mumbling under his breath. "Let's see… rock, rock, stone, rock, stone, stone, rock, stone, rock, stone…" as Rayla stared at the seemingly random pressing of—rocks? Stones? Was there a difference?

"Uh-huh... And how long did it take to figure this out?" Kouru questioned, appearing intrigued.

"Couple of months!" the boy responded cheerfully as he pressed the final combination of rock/stone, and the ground beneath them began rumbling. Rayla lowered her stance, a hand placed on the weapons at her back as the floor sunk into a set of stairs. The boy bounded down the steps. "Follow me!"

Once at the last step, Ezran pushed a statue back into place and the staircase spiraled back upward like it was never there. Leaving them in a dark room with atrocities Rayla never thought she'd ever see.

Chains and herbs hung from the ceiling, a variety of magical herbs and animal parts sitting in glass jars, bookshelves lining the walls. A table with scrolls sat in a corner with several items on it's surface Rayla doesn't recognize but knows in the pit of her stomach that they're no ordinary things for magic.

She could only stare, horrified, slack-jawed at the abominations collected in jars, lying across shelves. Horrors glare back.

"What is this place?" she whispered hoarsely. She'd spent the last couple of hours in this human's presence and gotten no sign he would be involved with something like this. What kind of creature has the ability to do something like this, something so atrocious, and still smile in the face of it?

Except Ezran wasn't smiling as he tried to look away from it, clutching his pet all the more tighter, shielding the toad's eyes from what looked to be a shriveled up member of its species.

While Kouru seemed to be trying to tear his eyes away from a set of elven horns aligned on one of the shelves, Runaan caught Rayla's expression. "Do you still believe humans are worth saving?" he snarled under his breath as he passed her. More words than he'd spoken to her since their reunion, but they still made her stomach churn and bile rise in her throat.

"_This_ is where they might be keeping the egg?" muttered Kouru, his voice a mix of horror and disdain. He turned his head to Ezran. "Where are we?"

"I'm not sure," the boy admitted, running up to a curtained pedestal. "The only one who uses magic is Claudia and her dad. But... Claudia wouldn't do anything like this, she's my friend. I know she wouldn't." He frowned at the thought, then placed a hand atop the fabric. "Don't worry, it's alive, I can hear it! Look— here!" he turns to them, face pleading.

The boy pulls off the curtain and Rayla's entire world stops.

She wouldn't believe Ezran would lie. He was too young to be corrupted into the humans Runaan had run into during his time. Yet it wouldn't be far-fetched if he was mistaken. After all, he'd never seen the Dragon Prince's egg before. Seeing it now, though, took her breath away.

This, this was an egg, this was _the_ egg. Here was the very thing everyone had thought was destroyed months ago, it was the reason they'd been sent, why she'd been sent, why she'd been ordered to kill—

This can't be.

And yet the egg remained, defying and shattering her beliefs with every pulse of thrumming light. Even Runaan's stoic face broke down into one of disbelief and a tenderness she'd never seen before. If she didn't know better, she'd think he might just start crying. "It's beautiful," he whispered, raw, aching.

Ezran extended his ear towards the egg, then turned to meet Runaan's gaze. "He needs to go home," he pleaded, suddenly seeming to be a far distance, pleading to what— to understand? To accept? "He wants his mother."

Rayla barely acknowledges him as her stomach, previously calmed over the course of their journey and conversation rebels once again. This was all for nothing. The mission needed to be called off.

There was no reason for the prince to die.

The dim light of the lair casted shadows everywhere, the strange objects and creatures in jars only made more terrifying by the bright glow of the egg, making everything darker by comparison.

Ezran already began taking it down, putting it safely into his pack. Runaan stopped him with a look, sharp and intense. "Give it to me."

The boy contemplated for a moment, a moment too long. Maybe he was less naive than she thought and knew that the egg may or may not be the only reason he was still alive. Looking from the colorful and speckled egg back to Runaan's face, Ezran glanced over his shoulder at Rayla's desperate expression, before his face set with resolve. He picked it out of his bag and held it out to the elf when a unfamiliar voice rang out.

"Ezran, don't give him the egg." Rayla whirled around, blades out to see a girl with black hair, wearing all black, and wielding a...primal stone?

"Claudia?" Ezran asked, turning towards her, away from Runaan whose blades were already out.

"Ezran!" She sounded relieved and gave him a quick once-over before seemingly deciding he was unscathed. "Everything's going to be alright," she said in a steady voice. "I'll keep you safe, just walk towards me _slowly_. I'll protect you from the elves. If they take so much as one step..."

"But I don't need protecting, Claudia. I wanted to go with them," Ezran said, taking a step forward but also hugging the egg as he would with Bait. As if he'd already bonded with it. "And the egg needs to go back to his mother."

Another figure stepped out of the shadows to be beside the mage. He held his hands up, but Rayla recognized him as the older prince from the portrait. Callum extended one hand out, regarding the elves like...like wild animals, Rayla realized. "I don't know what the elves told you, but it's going to be okay. Just give her the egg."

This time, Ezran's eyes filled with confusion. "But Callum, they didn't tell me anything. The egg shouldn't be here."

"They're _lying_, Ezran," Claudia exclaimed, her eyes trained on Runaan as her fingers were poised to sketch a rune. If she decided to cast a spell, would they be fast enough to get to her first? "Moonshadow elves are horrible, evil bloodthirsty manipulators-"

"Can I just throw a knife at her?" Kouru grumbled, rolling his eyes. "It'd shut her up quick."

"-and whatever they told you is a _lie_."

"Then why is the egg here?" demanded Rayla. "Why is it here being subjected to your dark magic?"

"My father saved it!"

"Saved it? From what?"

"Ezran, you have to understand," Callum went on, his attention centered on his brother, barely acknowledging the other elves. "Lord Viren took it, but it was to _protect_ us. From Xadia because he knew the elves and dragons would use it against us. He-he's always done what's best. Why would he lie to us now?"

"I don't know what these bloodthirsty monsters told you, but you don't understand what kind of powerful weapon it is."

There was a long pause.

"_A __what__?" _Kouru lowered his weapon for what seemed to be the sole purpose of giving them a completely dumbstruck look. For once, Runaan was actually glad he opened that mouth of his. "I can't even make my breakfast out of this thing! What kind of weapon are we supposed to be making out of it?!_"_

Callum narrowed his eyes. "Listen, I don't know what game you're playing here, but you took my little brother and I know you're here to kill the king, so excuse me but I'm not buying any of your acts. You know it's a powerful weapon you can use against us."

Kouru blinked twice, pinched the bridge of his nose and echoed Rayla's thoughts. "...the _egg_?" He then took a look around at everyone present to see if any of them actually believed such nonsense. "Oh, come on, you would have to be absolute geniuses to discover a way to make a weapon of_ war _out of an _egg_."

"Claudia, it's not a weapon, it's a baby dragon. It has to go home," Ezran pleaded, looking like he was about to walk forward toward them but thought better of it. As if he was suddenly unsure. "Can't you see that?" When he got no response from her, he turned to his brother with wide eyes of blue. "Callum?" Even Rayla couldn't miss the hurt edging in his voice.

"You'll understand when you're older, Ezran, but you've got to understand that this is what's best," insisted Callum, pleading also. "This way no one gets hurt."

"Except its mother who thinks her baby is dead." Ezran pointed out, backing away, and Callum's face fell.

Claudia turned to him and gave him a look.

"Ezran, please give me the egg."

As they talked, Rayla calculated their chances. They weren't good. A mage who could kill them before they could make it a few steps and a prince who might have soldiers waiting for them just around the corner. Not to mention, they had to protect the prince and the egg-

The egg.

Doubtless, Ezran would pick his own brother and his friend over a couple of elves (bloodthirsty monsters, Claudia had called them-was that how humans saw them?) he'd known-what, a few hours? She had forgotten for a moment that he was human, after all? If he had heard all the stories or beliefs these humans seemed to have, he might just believe their lies, and then the egg would be gone again. Experimented again on with humans' wretched dark magic. That couldn't happen.

"No."

That single word drew the shock of everyone in the room. Even Runaan seemed to freeze a moment as Ezran's response registered.

"Ezran, please. If anyone ever found out, it could spell disaster for Katolis," Claudia said,

Ezran knew Claudia's heart was in the right place but he was hesitant to give her the egg. He knew his brother had already made up his mind, but... He couldn't let the egg be harmed and he had a sinking feeling that was all that would happen if it was left here.

A stone sunk into his belly. Claudia was still his friend. He didn't want to see her hurt or dead. Ezran thought of Callum dead and something panicked inside his brain. But the same happened whenever he thought of Rayla and her friends dead because of him. Because he led them here.

That being said, he was already well into panic territory.

"Callum." Ezran said, looking at him pleadingly.

That made his brother pause. Then his eyes hardened. "Ezran. Come here." But though his mouth said otherwise, Callum shared a look with Ezran and in that single gaze, he conveyed a simple message. _Run_.

"Okay..." Ezran said slowly. "But first I should introduce you." He clutched the egg and looked at Bait. "Say hello to my little friend." Once the words were uttered, Ezran shut his eyes and turned away before Bait glowed bright enough to blind everyone in a sudden burst of light .

Ezran bolted down a passageway with Bait, grabbing Rayla's hand as she clutched her closed eyes. "Come on!"

"Warning next time!" shouted Kouru, smacking into a wall as he blinked rapidly until Runaan grabbed him by one of his horns and yanked him along as they fled.

"Ezran, come back!" Claudia yelled, blinking and rubbing her eyes to clear the spots dancing before them while her vision blurred.

She turned to Callum. "I promise not to hit Ez." As she drew a rune of lightning, Callum's eyes widened. With her vision still unclear, even if she wasn't aiming properly, she could strike him with whatever spell she'd come up with. She was about to cast when Callum knocked the Primal source out of her hand.

"Callum! What are you doing?!"

"I'm sorry, it was an accident," he lied. "I can barely see anything."

"Well, they must have him under some sort of spell!" Claudia scrambled up, blinking furiously until the spots faded and grabbed some ingredients. "But don't worry, Callum, I've got this."

Magic was unpredictable to say the least, it was the reason it couldn't win a war: It was unreliable and often misused. After all, the Dragon King had been killed with only one mage on Katolis' side. But magic could win a battle.

* * *

As Ezran led them through the tunnels, Rayla couldn't help but notice the sound of sniffling. She walked ahead to be side-by-side with Ezran and caught him rubbing his eyes. "What's wrong?"

Ezran didn't say anything for a long while, then finally, he looked up at her with his eyes red. He wasn't smiling now, nor was there that familiar glow. "I thought they would believe in me," he said. "I thought...I didn't think they would..." He sniffed again and rubbed his eyes with his sleeve, but she didn't dare touch him with Runaan present. "I'm sorry. I really thought they'd understand."

To her surprise, it was Kouru who spoke up, although she wasn't sure if his words were meant to be comfort or advice. He had his own unique way of sounding like he didn't particularly like his current task but would also willingly smash your head in if you dared stand in his way."That's just how humans are, little prince. You'll get used to it someday. Everyone does."


	6. And That Wasn't Even the Hard Part

"See, this is why I don't trust magic," Soren huffed. "If the Moon Moth really worked, then how did we manage to miss a couple of Moonshadow elves hiding out in the forest waiting to snatch up the prince?"

Viren sighed. "If the moon moth failed, it was only because you failed to see them. You must never forget that Moonshadow elves are deceitful by nature; chances are they were hiding in plain sight, staring right at you, Soren." He banged his staff onto the floor and turned to address his daughter. "Claudia, did you get good look at them?"

Claudia nodded. "There were three, but I don't have anything from them to make a tracking spell," she said slowly. "The most I could do was send out a summon so that if we can't find them, he can." She shuddered at the word. Their dad's bounty hunter one may say: a man (or maybe not even a man, Claudia had never seen him without his hood, a walking shadow out of a nightmare) who brought Viren some of his...ingredients for whatever dark magic he was experimenting with this time. All she knew was that either their father would send him if they should fail, or if he would be sent after those bloodthirsty assassins with them (and she really hoped it to be the former). Either way, neither were good for Ezran if the Moonshadow elves' spell had convinced him that they were on his side. This man was known for his efficiency in getting the job done, not his gentleness. "Listen, I think they have Ezran under a spell or something. He actually wanted to go with them; he used Bait against us and helped those would-be murderers escape!"

Viren looked over them both and looked deep in thought. "Of course, he's a child. Children will believe almost anything they're told. Who knows what those elven assassins may have said to bamboozle him. Trust nothing they say. Elves will lie until their last breath if it means getting what they want. Do you both understand?"

Soren and Claudia nodded in unison.

"Good. Now, with the moon at its highest, you'll never catch them. Your best bet is to set out at dawn. Every moment is vital for the chance of returning Prince Ezran alive. And make sure no matter what happens, the egg is safe. If the elves get their hands on it, it would mean another Thunder will rule the sky in another decade, and all those deaths will be for nothing."

"But..." Claudia hesitated. "Shouldn't our priority be Ezran?"

"Yes, yes, of course. However, the egg is just as important, and we can't let it fall into the wrong hands for Xadia to use it. How many more will die from such a weapon like many had fallen by Thunder's doing?" He observed the stone in his staff, pretending to brush it off.

"Okay, but say," Claudia started with a nervous laugh, "say something were to happen, and I'm forced to choose between saving the egg and saving Ezran..." She deflated slightly as she looked down at her hands. "Which one should it be?"

Viren observed the stone in his staff, tapping it with a finger. If Ezran was kept alive, besides using him for a bargaining chip, he could also prove valuable to them if they managed to turn the young prince against them. "We still hold the king on the throne, and Prince Callum shall be regent should anything happen until the heir is returned, an heir whose head may have already been tampered with, or another replaces him-" he didn't miss Claudia's wince at 'replace,' as if she could already tell what he was implying- "but there is only one egg. So if you had to choose..." Both siblings shared a worried glance as their blood ran cold, not needing him to finish to know what he was saying.

_It wouldn't come to that, right?_

"Choose the egg."

* * *

Luck was on their side. Or to be more specific, the moon. Its primal essence was embedded in their blood after all.

In the moonlight, it was difficult to see the elves at all. The only hint to their presence was their shadows and you could catch maybe their outlines if you squint. There was a reason not many knew what Moonshadow elves looked like. Nights of the full moon was the main time they struck, and on those nights the moon's essence allowed them to blend in with the darkness. Thus, most humans didn't _see_ Moonshadow elves, per se. That was the point, being natural assassins and illusionists. That meant most of their targets either never saw them coming or never lived longer than the sight to tell the tale.

Thankfully, they'd made it to the courtyard without too many incidents. And once they were out into the open, Runaan whistled in a way that sounded like the birds Ezran had heard Gren impersonate on outings his dad couldn't make it. He swore he caught a trio of shadows climb down from the tower where his dad's chambers were, but...they promised they wouldn't hurt them, didn't they? So, he shouldn't worry. Right?

He shouldered the bag with the egg hidden inside. He had insisted on carrying the egg himself, and Runaan had tried to take it from him, but Rayla had taken his side, saying that there didn't seem to be any reason the egg wasn't safe with him.

Even now Ezran could hear the gentle heartbeat coming from within the shell, its glow throbbing with each beat. It was alive, it was well, and Ezran would try to keep it that way. If it was causing all this trouble, it had to be important, right?

People would be after them soon enough. Claudia would try to take the egg back, where it would be stuck in that dark, scary lair until it hatched, and then what would they do with it? Ezran frowned at the thought and Bait was seated on his shoulder, giving a sympathetic croak as he tuned into his master's turmoil.

And...Callum would be okay with it. He knew now what Claudia and Viren were doing to the egg, he knew now that the egg everyone thought had been destroyed was actually safe and sound, and he had sided with _them_. He wouldn't believe Ezran, and this time no matter the pleading, he wouldn't take his side.

But there was also that moment where that one look had conveyed all that Callum thought he had to say. That even if he didn't agree, he would do his best to help him out. _That_ was the Callum he'd known and loved, even if he seemed to be there for a fleeting moment.

Maybe if Ezran ran into him again, he could convince him. But he was older, and so was Claudia; adults always thought they knew more than he did, and maybe they did, but not this time. This time he knew keeping the dragon egg here away from its mother was wrong. Even if...everyone else was telling him it was for the best.

Did his dad know?

He recalled the elves' leader, Runaan, snapping at him when he tried to convince them his dad really was a good person.

_Your father orchestrated the murder of the Dragon King and then destroyed his only egg!_

And Ezran knew his dad would never do that. Lord Viren probably didn't tell him about the egg. If his dad had known, he would have tried to give it back. Probably. No, he would, because Dad was a good person.

Now, they were all back at their camp, and he could see all the adults looking over a map, talking to each other in low voices. The look on Runaan's face as they discussed their next move reminded Ezran of the kind of look he'd seen many times on his father's face during meetings Ezran had snuck into or accidentally wandered in on (the passages could get tricky to navigate at times) when matters of Katolis required the king's hand.

Ezran couldn't help but wonder what would happen to him now that the elves had the egg. They said they wouldn't hurt him, but...Claudia insisted they were liars. At the same time, they had been nothing but honest, more so at the very least than his father's friend. Rayla was nice and she had every opportunity to hurt him, so he had no reason to be scared of her.

Still, although the other elves didn't seem to have any intention of hovering near him, there was an unspoken tension whenever they looked at him. Like there was something they weren't telling him.

He so badly wanted to believe this whole night was all a dream, but...

He was sitting on grass somewhere in the woods. With a dragon egg inside his bag.

He missed his bed. He missed his home.

He missed his dad.

He missed his brother.

None of this was fair. He couldn't understand why Lord Viren would— Okay, so maybe Lord Viren had done bad things before, but he always said they were for the greater good. There hasn't been any reason to lie, at least in Ezran's mind, so he'd trusted him.

But when Ezran had realized Lord Viren had lied about the egg being destroyed, he hadn't understood that. Then, Callum had taken Claudia's side, and he hadn't understood that either. Maybe Callum had his moments where he could be a real jerkface (hence the dance) like that time after their mother's funeral or that time Ezran tried to tell him about how he understood animals, or this morning when he exploded at Ezran about assassins coming to kill their dad. But he'd always been there whether way, to apologize and be by his side.

He'd never actually been against him. He had never seen that side of his brother before, nor their mage friend for that matter, the side that showed such bias towards the elves.

Why did it matter either way? He had seen the picture books, the ones depicting elves as scary, horned, four-fingered monsters, yet the ones he'd seen today didn't match that at all. Alright, so the horns and four fingers part was correct, but not the scary part; besides the horns and pointy ears, they almost looked like any other people he'd see at home.

So, no, the elves themselves didn't scare him, not in the slightest. What did scare him was what they might do. He wasn't stupid, after all, he could hear them before. Being young didn't mean he didn't have ears as much as Rayla tried to veer around what exactly their words meant.

* * *

Runaan's finger trace a path on the map. "We go northeast a short distance, then we shall have to go west through the Ethermind Forest."

"You sure about that?" Kouru raised his brows. "We don't need to take any more risks than we have to, and the passage we came through worked just fine."

"Yes, but that was when we all had use of both hands," Callisto reminded, displaying the binding on his wrists similar to the ones all around. "The one we came through is crawling with humans, and it was risky enough even before the binding ritual. You know the longer we take, the tighter these get, and if they get too tight, we might as well all be without our hands. What would we do now if we ran into one and we can't fight?"

A tense silence settled over them as his words sunk in. Finally, Runaan gave a nod. "The Ethermind Forest is avoided by humans and elves alike. Unlike the Breach, the humans won't be guarding it."

"That's because almost no one's crazy enough to go near it," Kouru snorted.

Surveying the map as she sent Kouru a look, Hyla added, "Also because the rumors say it's home to creatures that devour anything that moves."

Everyone looked to Kai.

Kai sighed and made an unsure gesture with his hands. "Well, I'm sure anything living there wouldn't have _natural _means to survive, and that's not really a good thing. No sunlight, no water for miles, and nothing but trees. And dark magic beasts are things you don't want to come across."

"What are you saying?" Runaan asked.

"Well, I'm sure you've heard the stories if even humans know it. They say the Forest is where they buried one of the first dark magic users. The mages of old caught him experimenting with dark magic, stealing the life from everything around him to unnaturally prolong his own," Kai explained. "They say that it was among the first and last things elves and humans ever joined forces for since the Divide. Since he wanted to live forever, they made sure he did, but he could never leave. Too far from the border to draw on the essence of any magical creatures and break the spell. Far enough from Katolis that nobody would find him. Just him, alone with his decaying body and fraying mind. Forever."

"As lovely as that little history lesson was, how exactly does that help our case?" Kouru demanded.

Kai rolled his eyes. "They say because of the experiments he carried out on the land, it was turned into little more than a dark wasteland rid of all life, but the side effects of the magic left a lot of nasty things in those left behind. No one really knows what because nobody has ever gone through and come back. They also say that dark mage still wanders around the forest looking for a soul to corrupt or to take their life for himself."

"Oh, thank you, that just makes me feel oh-so-much better," Kouru grumbled.

Kai shrugged.

"Runaan, are you sure about this route?" Hyla asked cautiously.

"Would you rather take your chances with humans or a myth? With the prince missing, they'll already be aware of us and on the lookout, so they'll be prepared, more so than we'll be by the time we get there as Callisto pointed out. And with the forces on our trail, it's best to go a way that'll throw them off," said Runaan. "I am well aware of the dangers, but the safest route is the best route."

"We have no guarantee that the Forest is the safer route."

"But we are guaranteed death if the humans overwhelm us from all sides," Runaan said. "We're out of options, and this is our best choice. With any luck, we may be able to skirt around it, but we cannot be sure if we'll be able to avoid or fight off the humans once we are left without our hands. Our main objective now is to keep the egg safe and return it to the Dragon Queen."

"Animals get distracted, but humans have a one-track mind. Their main objective is to kill us all if that means retrieving the egg and the prince" Callisto folded his arms across his chest and glanced at Hyla. "Either way, our chances are bleak, but at least with this one, they're better to adjust in our favor."

"Sure, and then we'll just pray the _myth_ isn't real, and we won't get attacked by the spirit of one of the first dark mage's. I'm just_ jumping_ for freaking joy," Kouru said with more than a healthy dose of snark. Everyone ignored him. It was easy to forget his youth compared to the others beside Rayla, that was until he opened his mouth.

Runaan understood their doubts. He could see the same flash across everyone else's faces, but they understood their place and had to trust his judgment. Still, he had some of them himself. Anyone would at the thought of going through a passage nobody was known to come out of once they entered. But they had a job to do. Hopefully they wouldn't have the need to actually travel through and the area around it would simply be enough to discourage any followers.

Giving a heavy sigh, Hyla gave in. "Alright. We can probably start travel tomorrow morning. Humans need more rest than we do, especially ones so young. Give the boy a few hours to rest and we should be able to be on our way."

"A whole night." Kai winced. "I'm not so sure of that idea with them all looking for us. The longer we stay here, the more we're at risk for those soldiers to realize they weren't wrong that first time. And then they _will_ come back."

"Which is why you will do first watch, and Kouru, you'll back him up. When your shift is over, Hyla and Callisto will take over," Runaan said.

"And what will I do?" asked Rayla. The entire meeting, she'd be silent, knowing better than to speak where her opinion wasn't wanted. She knew at this point she was on her second strike, one more and she was done. Regardless of whether her actions had redeemed her or not, there was still a tension in the air between her and Runaan. The others seemed more lenient towards her, their judgment softening towards her after the egg's discovery, but Runaan seemed intent on letting her know he wouldn't let her actions go unpunished once they returned home. When Runaan's gaze flashed to her for a brief moment, his eyes narrowed slightly.

"_You_ will stay out of the way with the prince and keep watch over him," he said in a clipped, dispassionate voice, returning his gaze back to the map and not so much as glancing in her direction as he spoke. "You brought him so it should be your responsibility he stays in our grasp and doesn't run off. Am I clear?"

Rayla opened her mouth to protest, but then lowered her head and looked down at her hands. "Yes." Shouldn't be a difficult task. Since his confrontation with his brother, the young prince seemed to have withdrawn into himself. Likely shock.

As cold as it sounded, she hoped that tonight would suffice for it sink in. They didn't have more time to give him. Runaan was already on pins and needles with the humans in such close proximity and them all believing Ezran to be kidnapped, even though, while it started as such, he was with them of his own free will. Well, not exactly since he was no longer allowed to _leave_, but he had come with them of his own free will. Still, this had become much more complicated than any of them had anticipated.

"This goes for each of you when I say that our mission is no longer simply about justice. Now there's more at stake if we fail." Runaan's gaze turned to where Ezran sat and the egg he had helped them find.

And it wasn't. Soon enough, others would know about the prince's disappearance. Prince Ezran was now essentially a political hostage whether he knew it or not, something that could benefit Xadia and the greater of the continent's future. There was also the fact, and the secret relief she felt, knowing that there was no longer a need to kill Ezran. She knew that Runaan would have his regrets about killing a child, but if it was for the greater good of Xadia, he would do it without the hesitation she had.

She wasn't so sure about her other comrades (she didn't know them that far beyond this journey except maybe Kouru who was the youngest beside her and though several years her senior, still closest to her age), but she knew that they all believed the same thing she did. Life was precious and the idea of killing a ten-year-old boy would be a heavy weight on their minds—or maybe not.

Assassins didn't _feel_ guilt. She seemed to be the only odd one out. Although Rayla had always wondered if their conscience suffered as much as hers would have if she had gone through with Ezran's murder.

Hopefully, if all went well, she wouldn't find out too soon.


End file.
